1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an adjustable fastener of the type that does not possess a supporting tape, and which is attached to an adjustable portion of a pair of trousers, a skirt or jacket or the like to enable adjustment of girth, and to the adjustable portion of a hat or cap to allow for adjustment of head size. The adjustable fastener of the type described comprises an elongate rail having a series of spaced-apart stop elements affixed thereto longitudinally thereof, and a slider which is fit on the rail and movable therealong for locking engagement therewith at a selected position on the rail.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the conventional rails each of the stop elements is affixed to a cord or band at a given pitch by means of a clamping operation, as set forth in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,441,337 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,770,024. Attaching the stop elements by clamping is an extremely troublesome and time-consuming operation that does not permit efficient manufacture of the rails. Moreover, consistent rail quality cannot be achieved owing to slight variations in clamping conditions and in stop element pitch. Another disadvantage is that attaching the stop elements by clamping diminishes the flexibility of the cord or band and results in a stiffened article. When a fastener having such stiffness is attached to the adjustable portion of a pair of trousers or the like, the adjustable portion itself loses flexibility and develops wrinkles, presenting an unattractive appearance. This tendency is particularly pronounced when the fastener is applied to a thin fabric. In fact, whether the fastener can be used or not is determined by the fabric itself because of the above problem. There are even cases where the commercial value of a garment is diminished by the application of the conventional fastener.